Richard Dawkins Clashes With Giles Fraser On Radio 4 Over Atheist Poll (AUDIO)

Richard Dawkins clashed with the former Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral Giles Fraser in a debate on Radio 4 on Tuesday morning which led to the author of the God Delusion being labelled an "embarrassment" to atheism.

Richard Dawkins has been labelled an "embarrassment to atheism" after clashing with a priest in a debate on BBC Radio 4.

Dawkins said an "astonishing number couldn't identify the first book in the New Testament." But his claim that this indicated self-identified Christians were "not really Christian at all" was challenged by Fraser, who said the poll asked "silly little questions" to "trip" people up.

Giles Fraser: Richard, if I said to you what is the full title of 'The Origin Of Species', I'm sure you could tell me that.

Richard Dawkins: Yes I could

Giles Fraser: Go on then.

Richard Dawkins: On The Origin Of Species.. Uh. With, Oh God. On The Origin Of Species. There is a sub title with respect to the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life.

Giles Fraser: You're the high pope of Darwinism… If you asked people who believed in evolution that question and you came back and said 2% got it right, it would be terribly easy for me to go 'they don't believe it after all.' It's just not fair to ask people these questions. They self-identify as Christians and I think you should respect that.

Fraser warned against "culture wars" in Britain which "ape the nastiness" of America.

The exchange prompted Dawkins' name to trend on twitter, with even self-professed atheists criticising the professor.